Well said CaptBart!!

Another idea is what i bought for my wife but enjoy shooting myself is the German made GSG5. This weapon is fairly cheap and they make a ton of assesories to convert and change to fit the needs and wants of the shooter. Just be careful because you can make this illegal with just a few additions. It does fire a somewhat weak round 22LR but is highly accurate with as much recoil as a paintball gun. Ammo is also super cheap and you can buy CC Stinger Hollow Points for a sure kill with head shot. This weapon is easy to hit the head every time. At the local shooting range the other weekend after buying a red dot scope and dialing it in, I was able to dump a full 23 round clip in the head area of my target. If you want more fire power than this would just be a great training weapon in fact some militaries around the world use it for just that due to the rising cost of ammo. They may be discontinuing them soon do to a law suit with H&K. This weapon is the exact clone of the MP5 but at an affordable price and of course it's not fully auto. It will dump rounds fast and has a nice spring loaded magazine for easy loading. It also comes with extra parts and tools as well as cleaning kit. You can buy one used for under 300 on Armslist.com or you can buy them new for around $500. You could also use this weapon for hunting if need be. Youtube it for yourself and read the reviews.

Knowledge is the best tool and practice, practice and more practice will do even better. I know how to read a map and terrain features. I can use a compass and gps but without practice these things can become confusing after time. Gear is nice also a gps can be a fun and effective tool also a lot faster then map reading. We must remember who owns the satellites that transmit gps. They can easily be shut off depending on the situation. That's only one of many examples of why knowledge is key. Post 9/11 the government devised a plan in the event of a large scale terrorist attack or mass panic from civilians and incorporated into the plan a option to shut down the gps satellites. in this case the gps would be nothing but extra weight and useless. The map will not lie and can be used during this type of event. Just because you read a map years ago in boy scouts or whatever you need to practice at least every six months or so. The same goes with most gear. Its great to buy and cool to have but without the knowledge and practice is really useless and depending on what you plan to do with the gear could end up costing your life or major injuries and this will be the time when that would not be a welcomed outcome. Guns for instance a great tool that all of us survivalist own and most of us know how to break down the weapon and clean it as well as what parts my need to be replaced. We stockpile the extra parts for when we may need them, but have you practiced how to change them out in the comfort of your homes? Some parts may have little springs that will shoot across the room. Do you know if your weapon will do this? This is another thing you would not want. A spring shooting across the woods while you change it is not something you would want to look for. Practice builds knowledge repetition builds confidence. I can read and understand building traps and snares by reading about them therefor I'm retaining the knowledge to build one. Then I take my six year old daughter and my wife out in my backyard and practice minus the local squirrel in the tree. This is great stuff and good quality time spent with the family. When it snows here in Colorado Springs which is rare these days I build a Quincy or a igloo with my family. Knowledge is power and practice is confidence.

I used one a few years back guiding a raft trip down the West Water section of the Colorado River as a tourniquet on a woman that didn't know her left from right when paddle commands were given and more worried about the tan she was working on. It worked well until the medivac helli could arrive. It was about four hours but slowed the blood down more than a gauze. I have heard of guides using two of them folded in half for a make shift Sam Splint for a ankle injury.

Got it !! thanks Ratlrbil

My state Colorado still has the "Make My Day Law" where if someones enters your home or property you have the right to shoot to kill. There was an incident a year or so back where a guy drunk out his mind had the cab driver drop him off at what he thought was his home but was not. After trying his key in the door several times he climbed though a open window and was shot by the owner and killed. I happen to be a neighbor that knew the home owner. I think that a scared person with a weapon can be dangerous. I on the other hand wouldn't pull a gun unless I knew for sure I was pulling a trigger and making sure the person is dead. In some states an intruder that is only wounded can sue for medical bills and win. When I was in the middle east every time i squeezed the trigger I thought its him or me. I just hope that the American people will still have the decency to co exist with little blood shed. I know there may be a few gangs and groups that will roam the streets, but I just hope I'm in my bug out cabin by then. A nervous, paranoid scared person with a gun is not a good thing at all. The person with the clear, calm mind will always come out on top. To keep it as humane as possible just remember one shot one kill.

I will have to check it out. In Afghanistan we often fired the AK because we take them from people. I will have to look into this and see if I should add it to my collection. Some of the AK I fired in Afghanistan were old and scary but others I liked. I think that some weapons are more accurate based on the person. My wife is more accurate with my GSG5 over my bushmaster and you can probably tell why. Accuracy is in deed based on the individual along with extensive training on the weapon, but I like your confidence I guess if your that great of a shot then any weapon you pick up will be accurate. I just think it depends on the person I have missed a white tail standing at 250 yards but hit a enemy combatant running at 300 yards with the same type of weapon. Do you by any chance have a website for this? I'm having a hard time finding it. This may be because it not introduced yet. Having an AR-15 I'm really interested in an AK in a .308 for my next weapon. Is ammo cost same or more/ less?

Yeah, I agree with you survivalist. I would go with a .308. I own a Bushmaster XM-15 the first weapon I bought after discharging from the US Army because I knew the M-16 so well and really easy to sight in close or long range. You shoot with very little recoil and click up and (L-R) and your good. I learned and so should all my fellow survivalist on this page how to sight without using any rounds I can give details how if you would like to email me or you can find this in FM 21-13 has targets to do it as well. They revised this handbook in 2003 and I have not looked at this copy. You would have to find one from pre 2003. I don't know if they use this method anymore. This handbook is great for anyone that owns an AR gas operated 15. It has method's how to make pins for bolts if need be and other useful tools and illustrations. The AR-15 has the same parts as the M-16 minus three round burst. The 5.56 round was developed to ricochet off a persons bone when hit and rip though muscle and internal organs. A 5.56 could enter though your calf and exit out your ass ripping everything in its path. I would never want to get hit by a 7.62 will most likely run right threw you. Now we all know either one will kill you the .308 would be better at hunting large game and more punch in close combat. The ammo is cheaper in local sport stores. Most major companies that manufacture the AR-15 are going to start making barrels you can switch out 308 and 5.56. I cant wait for that. I think one company may already have one.

I was interested to hear what other survivalist say about putting a gun in your bug out bag that some may keep in there car. The laws very on this as well as the profession policy's at ones work place. I live in Colorado so the gun laws are lacked to say the least. I worry about someone breaking in my car and taking the bag so I bring it in my home at night. I was worried to keep my Desert Eagle in the bag during the day. A $700 handgun that could be stolen from my car is a huge concern. I researched cheap handguns for this reason and being ex military kinda had an idea of what I wanted. Outside of having a weapon stash in the mountains near by in case I don't have time to run home. I found that a cheap handgun of the right caliber can be kept in my car at little financial lost. Make sure you keep a record of the serial number in case it is stolen. I found a Hi Piont .45acp for $135 new. Now some mixed reviews are out there but mainly due to the price and people have a conception that cheap is junk. Now the gun is not pretty but will get the job done. Hi Point is out of Lima Ohio and back there weapons with a full lifetime warranty. They will replace any weapon in any condition within two weeks. I took this weapon to the range last week and fired 100 rounds though it flawlessly. This "slum gun" preformed as good as any of my higher quality handguns as well as extremely accurate. The sights are nice and it comes with a barrel rail for flashlight or laser sight. the magazine holds 10 rounds and is not the greatest quality but for the price you cant complain. The barrel is cast iron so its heavy. Whats nice is once you get to your stash spot and dig up your weapons catch you can hand the Hi Point to another member of your team that may not have one or didn't get to get there's. Let me know if anyone has a good idea to keep a high end weapon in your bag without the chance of it getting stolen. I cant carry it on me due to the nature of my work.

As far as a dust mask great idea and can be used in creeks and streams in city areas. The only down side is slow, slow, slow. have a buddy watch your back if you are getting water and only one person get the filtrate the water for all in the group while others stand guard. In the mountains above 9,000 feet you don't really need filtration as long as the water is running. Most animals don't hang out this high so very little worry about geardia (partials of feces from animals in water) You don't want this it can cause diarrhea, stomach craps and dehydration. Keep away from standing water even with a filter if at all possible. Standing water causes filter clogs and no filter will eliminate every micro threats. There is a product called a gravity filter and works great. They are cheap and you can make one if need be by using coffee filters. The product is highly effective and will hold up to three gallons of water. You simply dunk the unit in the water (keeping the spout above the water to limit exposure to micro contamination) The rip proof bag made out of high quality raft rubber had a large loop on top. You walk it back to camp and hang on a tree. the long spout tube hangs but doesn't touch the ground. There is a clip on the tube to stop or start the flow of water. The water flows down though a paper filter and out the spout. You can buy one of these from REI or any high end outfitter store for way cheaper than a filtration system like a pump that has plastic parts that break and spare parts needed to fix them when they break. Learn how to use a pump style filter system before crunch time and if you have a group tech them how to use as well. I have taken many back country trips for weeks guiding people and had many break due to people being to forceful or impatient. Then the whole group is screwed. Let people the harder they pump the less effective even the highest end pump will filter. I like to tell them it's not your kitchen sink. With a gravity pump you don't have this problem they are easy to clean, come with a patch kit and a no brainier to use. If you ever run out of filters you can use a bandanna, shirt sleve, sock and I have even used pine needles. If you plan on buying two filtration systems I would look at buying two of the same in case you need parts when one breaks you can use the other one for parts. One last thing Mountain Safety Research or MSR makes a small wand type filtration system that uses I believe a photo synthesis type system they are about $150 but can fit in your pocket and can be used a hell of a lot of times before replacing the charge. They are battery powered and take a bit to clean 8-12oz of water. Iodine tabs are nice also taste not so good but cheap light and easy to use + you can use them for injures if needed.